A new combination for a Coprosma endemic to the serpentinised zone of the Surville Cliffs, North Cape, New Zealand

Abstract

A molecular phylogenetic analysis of New Zealand Coprosma using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and external transcribed spacer (ETS) regions of nrDNA discovered a consistent ITS sequence difference of eight base pairs between multiple samples of the widespread Coprosma obconica subsp. obconica and samples of the North Cape ultramafic endemic subsp. distantia. These DNA sequence results, coupled with those differences already described for both subspecies and the subsequent discovery of significant differences in the pyrene morphology of both subspecies, indicate that C. obconica subsp. distantia should be elevated to species rank. The necessary combination at the rank of species is made in this paper.

Keywords:

• Rubiaceae
• Coprosma distantia
• C. obconica
• C. obconica subsp. distantia
• C. obconica subsp. obconica
• pyrene morphology
• nrDNA ITS sequences
• New Zealand flora